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Lake County Courthouse 1879

Lake County Courthouse 1879
Crown Point has had four court houses. The first two were log buildings and have disappeared from history and largely from memory. The third [above] was a frame building erected in 1849. Its dimensions were large for the day -- 67x37, and 27 feet high. There were three rooms, one for the court, one for the sheriffs, and the jury room. Its architect, George Earl, was allowed $15.00 for drawing the plans. The total cost was $10,000. Our artist shows a good view of the setting of buildings connected with it. The one on the left was used for the recorder and the clerk. The one on the right was used for the auditorship and county treasury. This office was blown up by malfeasants who sought to rob it of the $60,000 it contained at the time, money stored there for the erection of the new and present court house. The building was wrecked, but the money was saved. In 1879 the present fine stone court house [below] was erected. What thrilling stories of misdemeanors and crimes, of stern prosecution and eloquent defense, of learned exposition, and shrewd application of law, and of stirring debates where lives or fortunes were at stake, these court house walls could tell, if ashes and stones could relate sixty years of history which they have witnessed!